Telemedicine technology by the end of the year will be installed at 43 federally funded community health centers in Tennessee to boost access to specialty care for uninsured rural residents, the Tennessean reports.
Program officials are working to recruit specialists, who could provide treatment for everything from heart disease to mental health issues. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the University of Tennessee and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis are providing specialists.
Under the program, technology, such as video conferencing and a broadband connection, will allow specialists to examine and communicate in real time with patients who are in other physician offices.
The program primarily is funded by a $1.6 million grant from the eHealth Council, a state-funded group formed last year by Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) to boost health IT adoption.
The Hardeman County Community Health Center clinics were the first to receive the telemedicine equipment. Mary Heinzen, executive director of the clinics, said the program should be operational soon.
Community health centers are required to treat all patients, and the uninsured are billed on an income-based sliding scale. Program officials say that billing for telemedicine services likely will work the same way, but details still are being worked out (Pinto, Tennessean, 7/27).